Fluid pulse device



Au ..19,'19s9 REBELLMAN ETAL 3,461,898

FLUID PULSE DEVICE filed May 16. 1966 I s Sheets-Sheet 1 l0 4/ l I 2 52 a 5 2 a f 32 TIME 2 z; 2 v! 54 :s 2

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INVENTORS Robert H. Bellman Thomas W. Bermel BY Mm f.

ATTORNEY g- 19, 9 9 R. H. BELLTMAN ET AL 3,461,898

FLUID vunsm'bmvlcm Filed May 16, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 wwwwwwwww INVENTORS RoberfHBellman Thomas-W.Bermel ATTORNEY Aug. 1969 R. H. BELLMAN ET AL 3,461,898

FLUID PULSE DEVICE F i le'd May 16, 1966 s Sheets-Sheet 5 I I mvENTbRS Fig. 4 v Robert H-.Bellman Thomas W. Bermel BY f a g 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent"() 3,461,898 FLUID PULSE DEVICE Robert H. Bellman and Thomas W. Bermel, Corning,

N.Y., assignors to Corning Glass Works, Corning,

N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 16, 1966, Ser. No. 550,284 Int. Cl. F15c 1/08 us. or. 137-815 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Generally in a fluid amplifier, a high energy fluid stream, hereinafter referred to as the power stream issues into an interaction chamber from a nozzle or orifice constructed such that the power stream is well defined in space, which stream is directed toward a receiving aperture by the pressure distribution in the power stream boundary layer region. This pressure distribution is controlled by the wall configuration of the interaction chamber, the power stream energy level, the fluid transport characteristics, the back loading of the amplifier outlet passages, and the flow of control fluid to the boundary layer region.

In accordance with Bernoullis theorem, the high velocity power stream issuing from the power stream orifice creates regions of low pressure adjacent the interaction chamber wall and this together with the configuration of the interaction chamber in part cause the power stream to lock-on to one side wall and remain in the lockedon condition without any control fluid flow. Control fluid flow is brought about by control fluid orifices which issue a control stream directed toward the power stream in a direction generally perpendicular thereto. In a bistable fluid amplifier, the power stream can be deflected to the opposite wall of the interaction chamber by the control stream and be caused to lock-on thereto, as heretofore described, and remain there even after the control stream has been terminated. In a monostable fluid amplifier, the power stream can lock-on to one wall only. It can be deflected to the opposite wall but only for such time as there is a control stream and when the control stream has been terminated the power stream will automatically return and lock-on to the first wall.

The apparatus is provided with two outlets or fluid recovery apertures or passages facing the power stream, which outlet passages are arranged such that when the power stream is locked-on to one wall in either a bistable or monostable device, substantially all the fluid of the power stream is directed to one of the outlet passages and when it is locked-on or deflected to the other wall, as in bistable and monostable devices respectively, substantially all the fluid of the power stream is directed to the other of the outlet passages. The fluid so directed to either or both of the passages may be delivered to utilization devices as desired.

A low energy stream'can deflect the well defined high energy power stream to the extent required to cause a substantial portion of the stream to be delivered to one of the outlet passages while the integrity or the well defined character of the power stream is retained sutficiently after interaction of the two streams so that the total energy or chage in total energy delivered to such outlet passage can be greater than the energy or change in energy required to accomplish this deflection. 1

3,461,898 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 In an ordinary monostable fluid amplifier, where the power stream is stable when flowing through one outlet passage but must be continuously deflected to flow in the other outlet passage, the duration of the flow inthe power stream outlet passage toward which it must be deflected, that is in which condition it is unstable, is directly proportional to the duration of the control fluidflow. It has been found that for certain applications it is desirable to have an outlet pulse of finite and controllable duration substantially independentof the duration of the inlet signal. One such application is described in the US. patent application entitled High Frequency Fluid Pulse Counter by RobertH. Bellman, Ser. No. 550,286 filed concurrently herewith, now abandoned.

- It is an object of this invention to provide a fluid device which can produce an outlet pulse of predetermined duration for any single inlet signal.

Another object of this invention is to provide an economic fluid device wherein the duration of the outlet pulse can be accurately predetermined.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fluid device wherein the duration of the outlet pulse is substantially independent of the duration of the inlet signal.

A still further object is to provide an economic fluid device which operates predictably.

Broadly, according to the present invention a fluid device is provided having an inlet means, means for issuing a fluid power stream, means defining a pair of outlet pas sages positioned in an intercepting relationship to the power stream such that the undeflected power stream will stabilize and flow only in one of said outlet passages, that is the device is monostable, first and second control means positioned to deflect said power stream from one of said outlet passages to the other of said outlet passages, said first control means communicating with said inlet means, said second control means positioned in opposition to said first control means, and delay means connected intermediate the inlet means and the second control means.

Additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and the drawings on which, by way of example, only the preferred embodiments of this invention are illustrated.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a fluid operated device embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a fluid operated device embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a dual graph illustrating the inlet and outlet pressures with respect to time of the fluid pulse device of the present invention. 1

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of a fluid operated device embodying the present invention.

The stream fluid may be compressible such as air, nitrogen, or other gases, or incompressible such as water or other liquids. Both the compressible or incompressible fluids may contain solid material. This invention is not limited to any particular fluid. I

Referring to FIGURE 1, a fluid pulse device 10 is illustrated comprising plates 12, 14, and 16 within which suitable passages or apertures are formed. The passages and internal apertures in plates 12 and 16 must be formed to a depth less than the plate thickness since these plates are also covers for the device. For example, the device may be formed partly in one of the plates while t e balance of it, such as the delay line portion, being formed in another of the plates with the plates thereafter being assembled in such a manner as to permit proper interconnection of the passages. Tubes 18, 20, and 22 provide suitable connections to the various passages. Plates 12, 14,

and 16 are shown bonded together by fusion. For ease of description and illustration, plate 12 is shown formed of transparent material.

Plates 12, 14, and 16 may be formed of any suitable material such as metal, glass, ceramic, plastic, or the like, and may be secured, sealed, or bonded together by any suitable method well known to one familiar with the art, such as fusion of the plates together, securing the plates with screws, and the like.

Referring to FIGURE 2, a suitable source of high pressure fluid, not shown, is connected to aperture 24 from which it flows through power stream orifice 26 and emerges therefrom as a well defined high energy power stream which enters interaction chamber 28. Since this is a monostable device, its configuration and arrangement of parts is such that the power stream automatically attaches to wall 30 of interaction chamber 28 and flows through outlet passage 32. There are various ways in which this may be achieved. For example, interaction chamber 28 may be formed in relation to power stream orifice 26 such that wall 30 is closer to the stream than wall 34. In addition, splitter or divider 36 may be shaped and positioned in such a manner as to direct or channel the normal flow from orifice 26 into outlet passage 32. One familiar with the art can readily determine and form the various elements so that the device will be monostable.

Control fluid orifices 38 and 40 are provided in opposition to one another at the interaction chamber. The power stream emerging from orifice 26 automatically flows through outlet passage 32 but can be deflected to flow through outlet passage 42 by a control fluid flow from orifice 38. Since this is a monostable device the power stream will continue to flow through outlet passage 42 only as long as a control fluid flow is available through orifice 38. When this control fluid flow ceases, the power stream will revert to its stable condition and flow through outlet passage 32. Control fluid is provided to the device through inlet signal aperture 44.

Inlet aperture 44 is also connected to fluid delay line 46 which is an elongated fluid passage. The other end of delay line 46 is connected to control orifice 40. Vents 48 and 50 provide entrainment flow as the power stream flows through either outlet passage 32 or outlet passage 42 as is readily understood by one familiar with the art.

Referring now additionally to FIGURE 3, the operation of the device is as follows. A suitable source of high pressure fluid, not shown, is connected to aperture 24 and will emerge from orifice 26 into interaction chamber 28 as a power stream. As hereinabove described, the power stream will automatically lock-on to wall 30 and pass into outlet passage 32. Ordinarily outlet passage 32 would be connected to ambient although it may be connected to some utilization device when desired.

As an input fluid signal, represented by curve 52, is provided to aperture 44, a portion of it will flow through control orifice 38 and cause the power stream to be deflected from outlet passage 32 to outlet passage 42. The remainder of input signal 52 will be caused to flow through delay line 46 and emerge from control orifice 40 after a predetermined period of time. Since the pressures of the fluid flowing through orifices 38 and 40 will sub stantially balance one another, the power stream will automatically revert to its stable condition and lock-on to wall 30. To assure that the portion of the input signal which passes through the delay line and emerges from control orifice 40 is of suflicient magnitude to overcome the portion emerging from control orifice 38, control orifice 40 is formed with a somewhat larger cross section than that of orifice 38. As noted hereinabove, that portion of the signal which passes through delay line 46 will be delayed by the length of time that it takes the signal to traverse the delay line. It is seen, therefore, that the duration of the power stream passing through outlet passage 42 can be accurately and precisely controlled by the length of delay line 46. Curve 54 of FIGURE 3 illustrates the typical outlet pulse received through outlet passage 42 regardless of the duration of input signal 52. It is readily seen that inlet signal 52 may be a continuous signal as illustrated, or may be a pulsed signal while the outlet will be pulse 54 or a series of such pulses equal in number to the interruptions of inlet signal 52. The only limitation of the device is that the inlet signal must be of at least the same duration as the desired outlet pulse, that is the duration of the passage of a portion of the inlet signal through the delay line, otherwise the duration of the outlet pulse would be equal to the duration of the inlet signal and would be controlled solely by control fluid flow issuing from control orifice 38.

In a typical example, when a delay line is formed for sonic flows, and has a length of about two feet, the duration of the outlet pulse will be approximately 0.002 second when the device is operated with air.

Referring to FIGURE 4, another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The device shown is substantially the same as that described in connection with FIGURE 2, except that the delay line is replaced with a fluid resistor 56 and a fluid capacitor 58. The resistorcapacitor combination is connected in series, and is connected to inlet signal aperture 44 at one end and to control orifice 40 at the other end. A fluid resistor may be an orifice or an elongated restriction in the line while a fluid capacitor is an enclosure having a large volume for collecting fluid. By properly selecting the resistor and capacitor characteristics and parameters, such a series combination will provide a time delay for that portion of the fluid flowing through aperture 44 which does not pass through control orifice 38. The time delay is obtained by first restricting the flow which must thereafter be accumulated and reach a control orifice pressure sufficient to cause the power stream to return to its stable condition as heretofore described.

One familiar with the art will readily understand that the final design parameters of specific fluid devices will at least be dependent upon the fluid density, temperature, and pressure, as well as the characteristics required of the power stream at the point of utilization.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific details of certain embodiments thereof, it is not intended that such details be limitations upon the scope of the invention except insofar as set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A fluid pulse device comprising:

inlet means for providing a control signal of desired duration,

means for issuing a fluid power stream,

means defining a pair of outlet passages positioned in an intercepting relationship to said power stream such that the device is monostable,

first control means communicating with said inlet means positioned to deflect said power stream from that outlet passage in which the stream is stable to the other of said outlet passages,

second control means positioned in opposition to said first control means, and

delay means having one end connected to said inlet means and the other end to said second control means for delaying a portion of said signal for a period at least as long as said duration.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second control means comprise two control fluid orifices positioned downstream from said means for issuing a fluid power stream on opposite sides of and substantially perpendicular to said power stream.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the second control fluid orifice is of a larger cross section than the first con trol fluid orifice.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for issuing a fluid power stream is an orifice.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1962 Warren 137-81.5 5/1965 Horton et a1 13781.5

6 Warren et a1. 13781.5 Syrnnoski et a1. 13781.5 XR Wadey 137-815 Metzger 13781.5 Swartz 137--81.5 Bowles 13781.5

SAMUEL SCOTT, Primary Examiner 

